Hearing Health Advocacy Efforts

Hearing Awareness Week 2018

The Hearing Care Industry Association (HCIA) welcomes the Australian parliament’s current focus on hearing health and calls on Government to declare hearing health a National Health Priority.

Australia has a long history of leading the world in hearing care. For example, in 1944 Government established the Acoustic Research Laboratory to investigate the effects of noise on military personnel; in 1947, its role was expanded to include the assessment and rehabilitation of children affected by the rubella epidemics; in 1946 Government started to provide hearing services to returning World War II veterans and school children and in 1968 the program was expanded once more to include social security pensioners. Today, the Government provides services to many more Australians however HCIA believes more can be done. We encourage:

Changes to the hearing services program to further improve its effectiveness; including –

Reviewing the eligibility requirements to access the program, particularly for low income Australians of working age;

Implementing a screening program for all Australians over the age of 50; and

Funding an awareness and education campaign specifically aimed at young people.

Further investment in research to understand the link between hearing loss and other health related matters.

WORLD HEARING DAY, 3 March 2018A Call to ‘Hear the Future’ to Prevent and Mitigate Hearing Loss

HCIA – World Hearing Day. On World Hearing Day, the Hearing Care Industry Association (HCIA) welcomes the Australian Government’s focus on hearing health and calls on Government to declare hearing health a National Health Priority.

Australia has a long history of leading the world in hearing care. For example, in 1944 Government established the Acoustic Research Laboratory to investigate the effects of noise on military personnel; in 1947, its role was expanded to include the assessment and rehabilitation of children affected by the rubella epidemics; in 1946 Government started to provide hearing services to returning World War II veterans and school children and in 1968 the program was expanded once more to include social security pensioners. Today the Government provides services to many more Australians however HCIA believes more can be done. We encourage;

Further investment in research to understand the link between hearing loss and other health related matters,

Changes to the hearing services program to further improve its effectiveness, including;

Reviewing the eligibility requirements to access the program, particularly for low income Australians of working age;

Funding an awareness and education campaign specifically aimed at young people, and

implementing a screening program for all Australians over the age of 50.